


The Quest for Arcadia Book One

by ladymaria86



Category: Original Work
Genre: Action/Adventure, Ensemble Cast, F/M, Modern Era, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Sibling Incest, Urban Fantasy, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-08-26
Packaged: 2018-05-15 22:36:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 17,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5802868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladymaria86/pseuds/ladymaria86
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"The Pressure is on."</p><p>The Arcadia Federation grows stronger, with the help of a unique kind of humans who are known as the Immortals. However, a mysterious organization has aims to topple Arcadia and its quest for peaceful world hegemony.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> S/o to my longtime friend ammyberri (go check her out because she's 10/10) who played a big role in giving ideas on how to revise the series.

_November 4th, 2039, Arcadia, the capital of the Arcadia Federation_

The Arcadia Federation was a large, united country, with a strong military and a wide array of natural resources. In a world where the supernatural occurred, even a powerful military had its limits. Luckily, Arcadia possessed unique humans called the Immortals as an ace in the hole. They possessed superpowers such super speed, strength, and telepathy. Immortals had the unique ability to use the power of mana and ki. But the most unique characteristic of all Immortals were that age, disease or natural death could not kill an Immortal. Only an Immortal could kill another Immortal.

Some Immortals did gain celebrity status within Arcadia for their heroic efforts in events such as the Revival of Arcadia in the 1960’s, the Arcadia-Incompositus War that took place in the 1980’s, the Nabrit Restoration in 2011-2012, and the First World War in 2014-2018. Many human historians agreed that without the intervention of the Immortals, these events would’ve shaped Arcadian history for the worse.

David Martins was one of the Immortals who played a large role in the Revival of Arcadia. But the citizens had long forgotten of his heroic deeds. Not that he wanted any recognition. He was well off, in a monetary sense in his own life. But there was a missing gap in his life.

David trotted slowly towards the marker where his deceased wife and stillborn son rested in one of the many cemeteries of Arcadia. Carrying a bouquet of flowers and a tattered blanket, David trudged on. The grass was in desperate need of some love, as it had not been cut for some time, reaching up to the top of David’s sneakers. The drainage needed some work as he felt the water trickle through his sneakers and into his socks. What a pitiful place for the dead to rest.

It had been over twenty years since his wife, Zoë Sullivan, a human woman passed away in giving birth to their half-Immortal half human child in Richard Sullivan. The child was seemingly healthy, to only suffer the same fate as Zoë eight hours later passing away. Arriving at a fancy decorated gravestone, David took the time to remove any weeds before placing the bouquet of flowers in front of the grey slab. Weathering was already taking a toll on the condition of the gravestone but David didn’t care. His one true love was still gone. So was his only child.

David remembered the burial ceremony all too well. His caretaker, Monica Tokugawa had paid for all the expenses and even brought out all of the Arcadian Immortal Captains to salute some human they barely knew. It was also the start of the deterioration of relationships between his former best friend, Dietrich. He had not shown up for some reason, and instead sent his wife, Naomi Rosales in his place. She had made it more awkward.

Placing down the blanket, David sat down, and let out a sigh. He began to talk to the gravestone, as if it served as a mouthpiece to Zoë.

“Zoë. It’s David. It’s been what...twenty-one years now? You’d probably be in your late forties. Richard would be in college now, I bet. Life’s good for me. It’s been peaceful in Arcadia for a while now, actually. Jessica’s now the Squadron Commander of Arcadia Squadron. Naomi’s a Captain now. Dietrich is...” said David, unsure what to say about his former friend. “Well, Dietrich got kids of his own. Twins, with Naomi actually. They still call me Uncle D.”

David kept quiet, but couldn’t stop himself from tearing up. He wiped the tear off his worn-out jacket. “I still miss you, Zoë. No one else can have the same effect on one’s lives like you did...I wish there was a way to bring you back. But there isn’t. I hope you’re not mad at me, Zoë. I was a naive idiot to think that we could have kids together.”

The blond Immortal brought out a handkerchief and blew his nose. Not wanting to look like a mess, he picked up the blanket, and did an Immortal prayer to the Gods.

“I gotta go. Dietrich wants me to look after his twin kids, Elise and Cameron. I don’t want to look like a mess in front of them.”

David retreated back to his sedan, a lower end Toyota Corolla. He could easily afford a high end sedans and sports car, but David saw little in lavish purchases. They wouldn’t bring back Zoë. THe inside of his car was a total mess. Assorted food wraps, and empty cups from fast food restaurants lingered behind. He made the short drive to Dietrich’s house, a large house of three stories and a basement. Parking the car by the driveway, David took a deep breath, and gave himself a thumbs up.

Knocking on the door, it was opened by a teenage redheaded girl. She inherited much of Dietrich’s looks, such as the athletic build and the redhead, though she did inherit the Chinese eyes Naomi boasted.

“Uncle D!” He was wrapped in a tight hug by the girl instantly.

“Elise, I told you not to call me that. Where’s your brother?” asked David, brushing off Elise right away.  
  
“Cam’s being a loser, as usual. Mom’s doing Captain business. Dad’s just being Dad.”

As David stepped into the house, he spotted Cameron carrying several history and science textbooks down the stairs.  History was David’s speciality, having graduated from the Arcadia Immortalis Academy with a degree in history years ago. David saw a lot of himself present in Cameron. He was always hard at work either in learning or Immortal studies, yet he barely got any recognition from both Dietrich and Naomi.  

David found Dietrich lounging on one of the many sofas in his living room, watching television. Below him was a bowl of chips, and a 2 liter bottle of Mountain Dew. An idle lifestyle and junk food would make anyone fat, but Immortals had an unusual metabolism that allowed them to remain in their physical prime. 

There were several pictures hanging on the room. One of them included graduation photos when he had attended the Arcadia Immortalis Academy, in which Dietrich, David, and Naomi were all together of a graduating class. The year was 2013. A year before the First World War.  Beside the photo of the trio, there a larger group photo that included the current Squadron Commander in Jessica Jia, Chief Justice Paul Wilkins, and a prominent doctor in Carter Marx, who were their close friends during their time in university. At last, there was a black and white photo of all the Captains and senior officials, from Kendra Patterson, the leader of the Arcadia Immortals Association, to legendary Immortals such as Immanuel Huang, Klare Huang, and Bernice of the Original Five. 

Elise wasted no time trying to stir attention from her father. She shook him by the arm.

“Dad! Uncle D’s here. Aren’t you going to say anything? You two have been really quiet as of late.”

Dietrich groaned, refusing to move from the couch. He took one quick at David, before returning attention back on the television screen.

“Dad, be frank with me. Why are you always so lazy? Mom’s always working...” asked Elise.

“How can I be frank if I’m dad?”

Elise groaned. Dietrich just had to always insert the lamest jokes, especially when David was around.

“David, just go and help Elise with her studies,” Dietrich said dryly, his eyes still on the television screen.  
  
“Dad, I don’t need help. I’m already getting A’s,” Elise protested, stomping with her foot. David frowned. Once again, Dietrich was ignoring his other child.

“What about Cameron?” asked David.

Dietrich groaned. 

“He’s a failure. Why bother trying to help that poor kid?” grumbled the redheaded Immortal. Elise joined David in frowning, unsure what to respond about her father’s negative opinion about her younger brother.

“Dietrich, don’t play dumb. Cam works harder than Elise, and he deserves even more love at times.”

“Don’t tell me how to raise my kids, ,” snapped Dietrich. He stood up, and began to jab at David with his thumb. “You’re the one who got Zoë pregnant and ultimately killed.”

David shook his head, his head lowered. There was no point in continuing on his conversation with Dietrich. He walked away from the living room Elise trailed behind him, still perky as ever. 

“It’s a long story, Elise. A story for another time in what happened between us.” David went towards the study, where Cameron had now set up camp for a note taking session about history. He was studying about the First World War, in which Arcadia had helped the Nabrits and Fercans fight off the rising imperial power in the Germanic Empire. David shook his head, trying to forget an unpleasant memory that occurred at that time.

“History is so boring. I mean, the First World War was beyond our time. There’s nothing to learn from that.”

Naomi played no role in the First World War; as she was pregnant with what would be Elise and Cameron. It was all coming back to David. The First World War brought unpleasant memories The psychiatric visits he had undergone after returning to Arcadia. He put on a brave face. Now was not the time to break down in front of the two kids who idolized him.

“There’s a lot to go through. Let’s talk about Immortal mythology then,” said David. He liked studying the etymology of the Immortals. It always involved grand battles, angels, and heroic deeds. 

Cameron looked up, and flipped several pages on the textbooks laid out in front of him. All done through telepathy. He did inherit Naomi’s natural talent with telepathy, noted David.

“Tell me more about the One World Order," said Cameron. 

David’s heart sank. He didn’t know much about them, aside from the fact that they played a role in overthrowing the Nabrit King, Godfried Nakamoto and the Arcadian Immortals Association and their allies fought them. It took a year in which both sides had committed atrocities. Rape. Pillaging of villagers. Torturing of POWs. But the winner of wars would always change history.

“That subject is a bit complicated. But let’s talk about something else,” said David. He looked over the textbook, and pinpointed a topic that would definitely grab the attention of Elise and Cameron. They were physically nineteen, but their minds were still young.   
  
“Let’s talk about the Holy Grail. Legends state that this object can grant one wish. Any wish.”


	2. Chapter 2

_November 5th, 2039, a small diner east of Arcadia._

Jim was a simple Immortal. He was simple enough that he went by a first name basis in his daily life. He was in charge of a popular diner far in East Arcadia, serving as the head chef. The mornings were usually quiet, as truckers and travellers would stop and go, only grabbing a cup of coffee, and maybe a donut. That work was left to his head server, a human woman in her mid-twenties.

In the back, there were several frameless photos, all of them in the past, though the most recent photo was ten years ago, when Klare Huang had passed on the title of Squadron Commander to Jessica Jia. Kendra Patterson, the current leader of the Arcadia Immortals Association and Bernice, the two surviving members of the Original Five, along with Jim, and the past and current Captains of Arcadia had posed for a serious, then a goofy picture. He always paused to stare longingly at the photos of his past days of being part of the Original Five.

It was a good time. Sure, Nick, the leader of the group was a goofball at times but kept everyone in line thanks to his power.  Kendra and Kyo had made leaps in the sciences and were innovative. Bernice was just her usual robotic self.

Jim’s daydreaming was interrupted by the sound of the front doors opening. Three masked figures entered the diner, all of them in clothing that covered them from the neck down.

“Lads, what can I get you?” the server asked the trio.   
  
“I’d like to see Jim, please,” said one of the masked figure, a gruff male voice.

Upon hearing his name being called, Jim stepped out from the kitchen. He frowned. These masked people had vast amounts of ki that equalled him in power. He felt a shiver down his spine.

Without any warning, one of the masked figures had leapt over the counter and tackled Jim, crashing him through the kitchen stove. Another intruder had picked up the server and thrown her out through the glass, probably knocking out and if not, killing her.

Still winded, Jim was unable to fight back against the intruder. Gasoline had leaked out of the non-functioning stoves. Metal pans and pots crashed onto the floor. Grabbing a large frying pan in midair, the intruder continued on a relentless assault consisting of strikes towards Jim’s head. Jim raised his arms to shield him from the ongoing blows, but eventually, his arms gave way. Blow after blow, Jim’s vision slowly deteriorated, but could still make out the figures of the intruders. Close to death, the intruder stopped with the attacks, as he/she looked towards the leader.

“The One World Order will prevail in its quest to find the Holy Grail. Arcadia will fall,” said the leader of the trio, a cool female voice.

Jim grinned. As if these figures could stand up against the Old Guard. The best Immortals Arcadia had to offer. The leader brandished her katana, and stabbed him in the stomach several times. If the head trauma wouldn’t finish him off already, now he had to bleed out. No ki could save Jim.

The second intruder help up a lighter, and tossed it at Jim’s battered body, which caught ablaze. The fire would not kill him, but the wounds inflicted by the Immortals would. Barely having the energy to scream, Jim tried to preserve as much of the brain as possible.

By the time Arcadian police arrived in the scene, they could not recognize the charred corpse of the Immortal. Yellow tape was put up by the police officers. Most likely a case of arson they deduced. Foul play not involved.

 

***

_A small-time diner caught ablaze this morning. Two casualties had been reported, though one is unrecognizable due to the fire. The other is a twenty-six year old Arcadian woman, who appears to have suffered severe trauma from her wounds._

 

Bernice, of the Original Five only went by her first name. Sometimes she’d take Tokugawa as her surname, as she was a close friend of Monica Tokugawa. Sometimes she’d borrow Immanuel, her younger brother's surname in Huang. She yawned, stretching her arms out. The news had awoken Bernice from her nap. Not that Immortals needed sleep to survive. The yukata tailored by Monica was really comfy.

Bernice looked up at the television screen. ANN. Arcadia News Network. The television screen displayed firefighters attempting to control the fire and policemen surveying the crime area. She went to the kitchen, and took a chocolate chunk cookie from a container. She bit into it. Soft, yet chewy. The wake she liked her food. But Monica always gave her a hard time for neglecting her diet, though Bernice would respond that Immortals didn’t need to follow a diet like humans. Vegetables were the bane of Bernice’s existence.

She glanced at her wristwatch. About a hour or two before she reported in for work. She spent half of the day as a part of the President Secret Service, serving as a bodyguard to the Arcadia President. She didn’t need the salary, but in a world where Immortals could easily overpower humans to assassinate key figures, Immortals being employed as bodyguards had become a popular occupation. Plus, it was something that Bernice had been doing for almost thirty years, guarding the first President, Karen Kung, from the threat United States of Incomposistus.

Bernice made up her mind. She was going to investigate. She slipped on some sandals, and made sure her weapon, a katana was with her. She slid it to the left of her hips, being a right-handed swordswoman. She hid the katana from human eyes, using ki to shield it. Just in case things too dicey, though it was unlikely.

On a hunch, the black-haired Immortal teleported to where Jim’s Diner was. Immortal teleportation was a unique power. It worked as long you had been to the place before. Some Immortals could teleport to areas unfamiliar, though it did take a considerable amount of skill.  The television report was several hours old, as the fire was now out, but the police were still present. Yellow tape surrounded the premises. She let out a heavy sigh. It had been almost ten years since she last saw Jim. And now he was dead. That made her and Kendra the only surviving members of the Original Five.

As Bernice made her way towards the closed off area, a policeman instantly stopped her. He took a look at Bernice’s choice of approval and chuckled.

“Get lost, woman. Also, get changed into something more appropriate than a kimono.”

Bernice glared at the officer, ignoring his snide remark about her yukata. “I’d like to see the corpse.”

The policeman gave Bernice an odd look. “Excuse me? Get lost, or I’ll arrest you as well.”

Bernice ignored the police officer, and went under the yellow tape. The police officer raised his baton in an attempt to strike down the Immortal. Sensing the attack instantly, Bernice disarmed him and did a take down. Seeing that she had no choice but to reveal her identity. Bernice fished around her yukata for a pocket, but it dawned on her that yukatas had no pockets. She hoped the policemen were on a good mood today.

The police officers, all of them armed with  pistols, sub-machineguns, and shotguns formed a tight circle around Bernice.

“Relax. I’m on your side,” said Bernice. She raised her arms up in surrender, sensing that some of the officers on scene were still at unease. Their guns remained raised.

“Give us a reason why we shouldn’t arrest you for obstructing a crime scene,” barked the sergeant, the police officer in charge of the scene.

“I’m a part of the Arcadian Secret Service. I’m an Immortal,” said Bernice.

“Part of the Secret Service? Just what is a person _like_ you doing here then?” asked the sergeant. He gave the stand down as the police officers lowered their guns.

“Government duties,” said Bernice briskly. Ignoring the police officers who either commented on her beauty, choice of dress or status, she went towards the charred ruins. Some police officers trailed, still untrusting of Bernice.

Bernice grimaced. Traces of ki. Not belonging to anyone she knew. Making her way towards the kitchen, she paused to pick up a set of photos that were unharmed from the fire. She felt a lump forming in her throat upon seeing the photos, but masked her emotions as she was in the presence of random humans. Moving towards the blue tarp, she raised it up. A burned corpse. Jim was completely unrecognizable. However, she saw pink membrane sticking out of the damaged skull of Jim. She solemnly placed her hands around Jim’s skull, shutting her eyes in an attempt to get a glimpse of Jim’s mind.

“Just what the heck are you doing? You’ll ruin the forensic evidence!” snapped one officer.

Bernice ignored the surprised glances from the police officers. At least Jim was savvy enough to save his brain. Bernice saw exactly what Jim had witnessed prior to his death, from the view of the three masked figures wandering to his diner, to torching the place, and saying a line that caught Bernice’s attention.

 _“The One World Order will prevail in its quest for the Holy Grail. Arcadia will fall.”_ It was a voice that Bernice could not recognize.

Kendra needed to know about the news immediately. Holy Grail. One World Order. All buzzwords pointing towards disaster. The One World Order  was an organization that did not mess around with their threats. She tapped into her telepathic channels, hoping to contact Kendra.

_Kendra. It’s the One World Order. They got Jim._

It was not long until Kendra showed up, with Alice Baldwin, her deputy, following behind her. The policemen around the scene did not give Kendra a hard time as they did with Bernice, and instead saluted her. The perks of being a public Immortal in Arcadia. Kendra and Alice were the heroines of good publicity, whereas Bernice preferred to be lowkey in her endeavours.

Kendra raised the tarp. Alice had to look away as Kendra grimaced, her lips pinched.

“The stab wounds and trauma killed him. Poor Jim...” muttered Kendra.

“The last time we fought the One World Order directly was back in 2011,” said Alice. “It was all to restore the Nakamoto royalty to the Nabrit throne. Now they’re back.”

Bernice shuffled her feet uneasily. “There’s more to the One World Order. They talked about the Holy Grail.”

Kendra frowned. “The Holy Grail? Are you sure that is what the intruders have stated?”

The Holy Grail was considered to be an object of myth, though the recent interactions with the Gods had suggested otherwise. An object that could grant any wish upon the consumption of its contents.

“Jim was savvy enough to keep his brain intact, allowing me to peek into his final moments. That’s what the intruders have stated. I couldn’t recognize who was speaking,” said Bernice.

“So it wasn’t Xander Carlington, the leader of the One World Order?” asked Alice.

Bernice shook her head. “A woman. Could be one of his lieutenants. It’s worrying, Kendra. What if they find the Holy Grail?”

“It won’t happen. And I have yet to meet an Immortal who could overpower Monica.”

Kendra was referring to Monica Tokugawa, the Celestial Child whose powers stretched more than an Immortal. The Celestial Children were angels that once served the Gods, but were granted independence. Many of them fell into obscurity. Some had continued to serve the Gods without the restrictions. Monica was an exception.

“Yes, but she’s away with Immanuel. On their honeymoon,” said Alice. “Plus, you have to keep in mind she’s loyal to the Celestial Code. To a fault.”

The Celestial Code. A warrior code that the Celestial Children held themselves to an upright standard. Among one of the rules was not to interfere in Immortal manners. There had been occasions where Monica had ignored the Code, such as the Nabrit Restoration.   
  
Kendra had devised a plan. “There’s no point hiding what has happened within the Arcadia Immortals Association. Monica should be willing to bend her ethics to help us once more. Bernice, could you be so kind to get the two lovebirds?”

Bernice looked a bit disappointed to be doing such a menial duty but said nothing, teleporting away to get on with her duties.

“Alice, go and let Wolf Squadron know about the news. I’ll spread the news to Arcadia and the rest of the Distinguished Squadron Commanders.”

Wolf Squadron was located east of Arcadia, in the Holy Allemand Empire, a longtime ally of Arcadia. Within the Arcadia Immortals Association, the Distinguished Squadron Commanders were a rank above Squadron Commanders, some of them being the oldest Immortals around the world.

The two senior Immortals nodded at each other, then split off to complete their tasks.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Implied NSFW scene in the beginning. You've been warned.
> 
> Thanks for trucking by a lot of exposition. Things will pick up in this chapter, I assure you! I apologize for the lack of updates - school has been a bit busy and writers block struck, though that is not the case now.

Within the bedroom of the a vacation house far away from Arcadia, Immanuel Huang let out a satisfied sigh, putting his hands behind his head.

“Great as ever, Monica.”  
  
A hearty giggle came under the sheets. Staring down at his wife in Monica Tokugawa a beautiful, fit looking Asian woman in her mid twenties. She curled up close to Immanuel, resting her head on his chest. He placed an arm around her shoulders.

“I’m ready for another round. Are you?"

Immanuel groaned. “Monica, please. We’ve been up at this for the last couple of hours.”

Monica was about to respond, but she sensed a familiar presence being close to their vacation home. She got out of the covers.

“I’ll be back. Just prepare yourself when I’m back,” she said.

Monica winked back at Immanuel and put on a long white bathrobe that covered most of her body, sans her legs and feet. As Monica walked down the stairs, she spotted a familiar face in the living room. A woman in one of her finely woven yukatas.

Bernice was already seated on one of the many chairs in the living room, pouring tea for herself and Monica. Bernice took note of Monica’s messy black hair and her choice of attire.

“Planning to have more kids? I thought Melanie and Ezekiel were already a handful for you two,” said Bernice, taking a sip of the tea. Bernice was referring to Monica and Immanuel’s twin children, who were already grown up. Bernice had brewed the tea in the short time she entered the house. Earl Grey tea. Monica’ s favourite cup of tea. 

Monica shook her head. “Nothing wrong with copulating. Couples that do it frequently have healthier relationships. I’m surprised you still haven’t found a special person in your life, Bernice.”

Bernice shook her head. She was going to let the comment slide about copulation. Thought of getting naked and getting it on turned her off. “Kendra and I have zero interest in a partner. Either way, I’ll get to the point. Big news.”  
  
“Did something happen to Ezekiel? Melanie?” asked Monica, interrupting Bernice.

“Your twin children are fine,” said Bernice. “Jim’s dead. There’s also the topic about the Holy Grail.”

Monica beat Bernice to the punch. Gone was Monica’s relaxed, carefree persona.“The One World Order. They were the ones behind it, I assume. Who's aware of the news?”

“Kendra and Alice split up to talk to the Squadron Commanders and the upper brass. I was here to fetch you.”

Bernice leaned her head to the right, spotting a shirtless Immanuel who had been eavesdropping in the conversation, leaning behind the wall.

“Quit being so nosy.”

“How about you quit being so robotic and stoic,” said Immanuel. Seeing that he had been busted, he sat beside Monica. It was not a problem for Immanuel to be shirtless, as he had a well-built body.

“That’s no way to treat your older sister,” said Monica, glaring at Immanuel. He lowered his head, apologetic. Bernice kept her stoic expression, giving a thumbs up as a gesture of accepting his apology.

“Either way, we’ll be back by Arcadia by tonight.”

Bernice frowned as Monica rested her head on Immanuel’s shoulder. “One more session. I promise, Bernice.”

Seeing that the Celestial Child had made up her mind, Bernice gave a thumbs up to Monica and teleported away, leaving the two lovebirds alone. She opened up her telepathic channels to contact Kendra.

_I’ve let the lovebirds know. They said they’ll race back to Arcadia ASAP._

Finally alone, Monica repositioned herself, so that her body was pressing against Immanuel. She lowered her head, whispering into Immanuel’s ear.

“So, where did we leave off?” she purred. Immanuel chuckled, his voice low and husky.

“There’s no satisfying you.”

Immanuel raised his hands, undoing the knot of the bathrobe. The bathrobe fell to the ground, revealing her voluptuous body. Just as Immanuel was about to slide his hands around Monica’s slender body, Monica got off the couch to  to pick up her bathrobe and tying it up quickly. He frowned.

“Someone’s here,” she said.

Monica knew it was someone familiar, based on the odd smell the person always radiated, and the sound of the leather boots made when the heels were rolled onto the floor.  Before the visitor turned the corner, Monica spoke out.

“Eileen. You know better than to interrupt me at such a time.”

Eileen, the Sage  appeared into the view of Immanuel and Monica. A tall woman, she was covered in head to toe with a beaked mask, and a black cape. She bowed, lowering one knee and her head slightly.

“I apologize. But the news I bring is urgent,” said Eileen, a hint of a British accent present in her speech.. With a gloved hand, she removed the beaked mask, revealing a beauty that rivalled the gods. She possessed wavy black hair, and mild features. Age did not hamper Eileen’s beauty one bit.

Eileen raised an eyebrow, and deduced what was going on between Monica and Immanuel. Monica had sensed what Eileen was thinking, looking away.

“I remain surprised you two decide to...copulate in the open,” said Eileen. She never approved of Monica’s relation with Immanuel, but Eileen did admit the Immortal was a good-looking person. The two were a good fit in her eyes.

“You’re here for one reason, Eileen. Might as well spit it out,” said Monica.

Eileen wiggled her gloved fingers. Blue particles gravitated towards the hands as they eventually formed a holographic view of a head bust of an attractive female Immortal. Monica recognized the face Eileen had constructed, though it took Immanuel a moment later to see what Eileen had constructed.

“One of your former students, Rachel Zhao has been deemed worthy of a second life by the Supreme Gods. She will be assisting you in the quest for the Holy Grail,” said Eileen.

Monica rubbed her chin. The day just got more messier with the addition of Rachel Zhao. An Immortal whose life was of mixed reception. While she was the first Squadron Commander of Challenger Squadron and standardized some Immortal procedures such as the Immortal Ascension and the first to appoint Captains, she had instigated the early Arcadia-Nabrit conflict. Rachel, along with her friends had  perished in the conflict, all whom were poised to surpass the Original Five Immortals in power. Monica received all of the blame from Nick for not assisting in the warfare, leading to her exile.

Eileen shrugged. “Out of all the Immortals you have taken under your wing, I am appalled how an Immortal of her caliber has remained dead for such a long period of time.”

Immortals could be given a second life. But with the reputation that Rachel built for herself made it a difficult decision among the Gods.

“Wasn’t Rachel the one who discovered the Immortal Ascension technique?”

Monica nodded. “The same technique that only a few Immortals can master. The same technique you and Kendra can use.”

“Impressive. I thought the Immortal you chosen was of poor stature, Monica,” said Eileen. Monica giggled, leaning her head on Immanuel’s shoulder.

“Sometimes, the student is right,” said Monica.

The elder Celestial Child’s eyes sparkled. “Fair enough. But you’ve only beat me once, out of the seven hundred and fifty-two times we have sparred in our lifetimes.” Immanuel’s eyes openned.

“Once.” He looked at Monica to confirm, who solemnly nodded to confirm Eileen’s statement.

Eileen smirked, though it was quick to fade.. “You do know I was once the Captain of the Celestial Children. That title is serious business.” Eileen reached into her coat, summoning a silver pocket watch, and flipped it open. Eileen stood up, pocketing her watch in the meantime.

“Time is ticking. Rachel will be in Arcadia, most likely somewhere you will know, Monica.”

About to leave the house, Eileen paused mid-step and glanced at Immanuel. A hearty chuckle. “One more thing before I leave. Don’t get Monica pregnant now.”

Before Immanuel could respond to the angel, Eileen had teleported out of the house. Immanuel shook his head, muttering incoherently.

“Eileen’s throwing shade at me again.”

Monica smirked, though her face turned serious a second later.

“Go get dressed. We’re going to have to cut our vacation short.” said Monica. Immanuel stood up, and sprung a surprise for Monica, picking her up in bridal carry fashion.

“Always the romantic,” she whispered.Leaning into the warmth of Immanuel's upper body, she relented. A quick session, the angel guessed, wouldn’t allow the two to be tardy in their return to Arcadia. 

***

 

 _November 5th_ , _Capital of Arcadia, Arcadium_. _Midday._ _A  modest coffee shop._

Kendra Patterson ignored the discreet glances she received from the patrons in the coffee shop. Even with sunglasses, a modest tourist outfit and her hair done up, people could recognize her as the public face of the Immortals. She sunk lower into her chair, ignoring the fact the latte she ordered was growing cold. Too sweet for her liking.

She reserved a table for four people. There were four Distinguished Squadron Commanders based in Arcadia, with Monica’s title being a honorary position. Bernice had notified Immanuel, one of the Distinguished Squadron Commanders. That left three to meet up with. The Arcadian Squadron Commander would be made aware of the news last.

Kendra’s face perked up when she spotted a black sports car roll into view. Stepping out of the passenger side was a slender, attractive blonde woman in her mid-twenties. Tiffany Labelle. A classy Immortal. One of the Distinguished Squadron Commanders. She said something to the driver, as the black car roared off.  Tiffany looked like a business woman, with a pressed white blouse, black skirt, tights, and dress-quality shoes.  

“ _Salut_ , _madamosielle_ Patterson. You recognizable, no matter what you do,” said Tiffany, cracking a smile. She had a slight French accent in her English words. Fercans spoke French as their language. Tiffany sprinkled in bits of French at times. Though she was fluent in English, and understood enough Asiatic languages to get by.

Kendra raised an eyebrow. Tiffany was usually seen with Alyssa Gomez, a fellow Distinguished Squadron Commander. Prior to their promotion within the Arcadia Immortals Association, the two had severed in Arcadia Squadron as senior Captains.

“Not with Alyssa? You two are like two peas in a pod.”

Tiffany shrugged. “Alyssa said she wanted to test her new toy out.”

After Tiffany finished her sentence, she heard the rumbling of a motorcycle engine in the vicinity. Glancing back, she spotted a woman, her face covered with a matte black motorcycle helmet, park her sleek motorcycle across the street. She looked if she belong

“There she is,” said Kendra.

With a gloved hand, Alyssa Gomez removed the helmet, revealing an olive-skinned complexion. Underneath the helmet was a well-built woman with attractive features. While Tiffany had long blonde hair, Alyssa had shorter hair that reached to her shoulders. Alyssa’s hair was naturally brown, though the ends of her hair were dyed orange. She took the last seat, crossing her legs.

“Sorry I’m late, ladies. Cops got me for speeding. All I had to do was remind them I’m part of the Arcadian Immortals and they let me go. Begrudgingly.”

Kendra rolled her eyes. While Immortals did enjoy many perks and were above the government, the abuses did draw the ire of some news channels. The Anti-Immortalist,  a movement dedicated in removing the Immortals and their involvement in the Arcadian government would use any bad press about Immortals to push their agenda.

“Alyssa, don’t get into too much trouble with the local authorities. You can’t always pull the ‘I’m a Distinguished Squadron Commander Immortal’ card all the time.”

Alyssa shrugged, and reached into her pockets and pulled out a pack of Lucky Strike cigarettes. Taking a cigarette for herself, She offered the cigarettes to Tiffany and Kendra.

“You know I don’t smoke,” said Kendra. Tiffany shook her head. Snapping her fingers, Alyssa produced a blue ember to light up her cigarette. The side effects of smoking, such as lung cancer could not scathe an Immortal.

“What’s the order of business? To gather all of us?” asked Alyssa, blowing out an enormous puff of cigarette smoke towards Tiffany. The blonde Immortal looked away, scowling in the process.

“Not everyone is here yet. We’re waiting on one more.”

“The young one, huh? Klare’s usually the punctual one,” said Alyssa.

Alyssa was referring to Klare Huang, the niece of Immanuel and the most junior Distinguished Squadron Commander based in Arcadia. She sensed a rumbling of _ki_ close by. Golden _ki._ Only available to the elite Immortals.

From the corner of Alyssa’s eyes, she spotted a mane of pink for a split second reaching for something, then sit herself on the remaining sit, leaning back. Klare Huang. An athletic woman with pink hair, Klare dressed in a smart casual outfit, with a beige blazer, black jeans and a white buttoned shirt.  The previous Squadron Commander of Arcadia, whom handed down the title to Jessica Jia in 2018. In her hands she held Alyssa’s sunglasses, twirling them.

“Still can’t track me?” she teased. Klare was a bit of a Swiss army knife, though her true strength lied in her speed. Alyssa attempted to snatch back her glasses, but Klare stretched her arms back. Her athletic frame contributed to a large wingspan. But even a long reach was vulnerable to the next Immortal sitting by, as Tiffany took the sunglasses and handed them back to Alyssa.

“Quit goofing around. We were waiting for you,” said Tiffany. Klare sighed, but said nothing to rebutt the senior Immortal.

Kendra glanced around to ensure no humans were eavesdropping, before muttering the words. She clasped her hands, covering her mouth.

“The One World Order is back. They got Jim.”

Three stunned looks. Alyssa’s cigarette dropped onto the floor. Klare was the first to respond

“Jim surely put up a good fight, being part of the Original Five.”

Kendra shook her head. Jim was the weakest out of the Original Five. “They’re a lot more powerful than the nobles we faced during the Nabrit Restoration. They left some notable damage. The _ki_ was belonged to an Immortal at the Captain level.”

Captains were seen as a champion, and the best Immortals each Immortal Squadron could offer. There were no limit how many a Squadron Commander could appoint. Arcadia Squadron had twelve, a contrast to Wolf Squadron’s six.

“That’s not all. They talked about a great artifact. The Holy Grail,” said Kendra, lowering her voice to a whisper.

“The Holy Grail can grant any wish, correct?” asked Tiffany. Kendra nodded solemnly.

“I’m afraid so. Even as a daughter of the Great Gods, I’m afraid that I know little about the whereabouts of the Holy Grail,” said Kendra.

“It might be safe to assume the Holy Grail is here in Arcadia,” said Alyssa, lightning up a new cigarette. “Why don’t we split up and find it? Can’t be too hard. With humans aiding us, we can cover a lot of ground.”

“We cannot let the humans in about the Holy Grail. They’ll use it for malicious intent. At most, the President Johnson only. Not even her cabinet,” said Kendra.

Alyssa went into a small coughing fit, having accidentally inhaled a bit of the cigarette smoke. Klare reached over to pat Alyssa on the pack several times, until she was able to breathe properly.

“Lung cancer won’t kill you, but we Immortals are still human in nature,” chided Kendra. Tiffany chuckled. Though they were close in physical age, Kendra acted like a mother figure to the Immortals.

Alyssa shook her head, muttering a sarcastic, “Yes mother.”

“Is my uncle, and Monica aware of the news?” said Klare, returning to the topic at hand.

Kendra nodded. “I do have a plan in mind. Even if we don’t know where the Holy Grail is located, we can split up into small fireteams, headed by one of you, taking along two or three Captains with you.”

Kendra furrowed her eyebrows. A wave of grey _ki_ was close in the area. The coffee shop was in a busy district of Arcadia, making it already difficult to distinguish who were the suspects.  It didn’t belong to any Arcadian Immortal. Or an ally. She switched to telepathic communication.

_“Three Immortals are close by. Possibly enemies.”_

_“Mon dieu. Should we go dispose of them?”_

Tiffany turned back, attempting to decipher the odd bystander out. She too, had difficulty. Alyssa bit deeper in the filter of her cigarette, tapping her fingers impatiently.

_You two are so blind. I’ll weed the intruders out._

Standing up, Alyssa wedged herself into the crowd seamlessly. How could Kendra and Tiffany not spot the conspicuously dressed teenage Immortal by the fountain, tapping in Morse Code. The teenage, a girl who had probably just ended her puberty stage, glanced up, taking off her headphones. She remained unfazed by the fact that one of Arcadia’s finest Immortal was right in front of her.

“You got five seconds to rat out your friends,” said Alyssa, folding her arms.

The teenage spy, realizing her cover was blown, made a mad dash. Alyssa attempted to tackle her, but missed by an inch, eating granite in the process. But the Immortal spy could not outrun Klare, who leapt out of her seat in less than a second to tackle the Immortal spy. Using her legs to pin the young Immortal, Klare reached for her katana and held the blade close to the spy’s throat.

“Speak.”

“I’m not going to speak,” muffled the spy. “Your leader is a fool to speak in such a public area. The One World Order will prevail.”

Klare was now joined by Tiffany, a disgruntled Alyssa and Kendra. Seeing that they had caused a commotion in the public and the the other sources of grey _ki_ were fading, Kendra undid her poorly done disguise, waving her hands.

“There is nothing to worry. The Arcadian Immortals Association has the situation under control,” she said, loud enough for everyone around the square to hear. It didn’t stop the wave of questions that followed suit.

“What’s going on?”

“Did you just attack a young girl out of spite? I’m going to report this!”

“Oh my god!”

Kendra sighed. Alyssa had potentially added more bad publicity to the Immortals. At least the Arcadian police were quick to arrive on the scene. Except these the two policemen were rookies and did not recognize Kendra’s status as the face of the Arcadian Immortals Association. Or the fact that Tiffany, Alyssa and Klare were reputable Immortals in their own right. No reasoning could change their minds.

“Even if you are the legendary Kendra Patterson as you claim, you Immortals can’t just go around like vigilantes,” chided the rookie cops.

Kendra scoffed. Did these policemen not have smartphones? A quick search engine online could muster up Kendra’s semi-fabricated biography. The policemen were about to move to take care of the Immortal spy, but a tap behind their backs stopped them. Still in her yukata, Bernice appeared out of nowhere but was prepared, holding her ID card that showed she was part of the Secret Service. The two policemen glanced back, in disbelief. They did not get a dispatch call to witness people appearing left and right.

“Let’s make this easy, chumps. The Immortals are here, we are going to save the day,” said Bernice, weaseling herself past the two policemen in a nonchalant fashion. One of the policemen placed a hand on Bernice’s shoulder. A bad move. Bernice elbowed the officer in the gut and did a backhand, effectively knocking out one of the policemen.

“Relax, cops. I’d rather not have to report you to the chief,” growled Bernice, her voice low. The other policeman learnt his lesson, and worked to address the crowd. Kendra heaved a sigh of relief. Bernice was a lifesaver.

 _Good thing you’re here. Saved us in a pickle._ Kendra switched to telepathic communications, not wanting to risk anymore eavesdropping.

 _Felt some odd ki here. I came as soon as President Johnson finished her meeting. She knows about the One World Order._ Bernice frowned on seeing the teenaged spy. The _ki_ was of a similar scent in the wrecked diner. Though Bernice didn’t have an official position in the Association, her part in the Original Five gave her as much credibility as Kendra.

 _We need to stay out of the public eye. Now._ _Alyssa, knock out the spy._

Alyssa followed the command given by Bernice, elbowing the Immortal spy in the back of her head, knocking her out completely. Bernice raised up her left arm, and with her free arm, sliced off a sizeable amount of fabric, revealing a pale, thin arm. She did a tight knot on the arms and legs, preventing any avenue of escape.

Kendra spoke again. _Bring her to Head Captain Steele. We will reconvene  in Arcadia Squadron’s HQ?_

The Immortals all nodded. Alyssa picked up the spy and got onto her bike, giving a thumbs up to the senior group of before speeding off. The remainder of the Immortals teleported away, unaware they had been observed by the escaped spies on rooftop. The two Immortals, with notepad, scribbled some notes, and left without any of the public noticing, who were all too focused on the Arcadian Immortals.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologize for the lack of updates ~ school has kept me busy and I was constantly revising the current chapter. Enjoy!

 

 _November 5th_ , _5:45PM. Challenger Building, Arcadia_

Jessica Jia, the current Commander of Arcadia Immortal Squadron took her usual stroll in the halls close to her office. Her office was located in the third floor of Challenger Building, a name chosen to honour the Immortal Squadron’s previous name before switching to Arcadia to improve and symbolize public ties. The building was located close by the Tokugawa Manor, all within the hidden lands that Monica owned and operated. No human or ordinary Immortal could wander in as they pleased. In the hallways where Jessica roamed about, were five portraits of the past and present Squadron Commanders of the Immortal Squadron.

Monica Tokugawa. Rachel Zhao. Immanuel Huang. Klare Huang. Jessica Jia. Monica never held the position in official records but Jessica felt it was appropriate for the angel to be honoured, having helped Arcadia since the beginning of time. She paused mid step to study the portrait of Rachel Zhao. A pretty woman.

One of her side hobbies did consist of making biographies of her predecessors. Rachel was the odd one out, not being alive to chronicle parts of her life. It didn’t help how there was little written about Rachel’s life as well.  Jessica’s train of thought was interrupted by a telepathic message from Kendra.

_Gather up your Captains and let them know that the One World Order has struck us. We thought that they were gone for good in 2018. But guess not. We’ll be there to join you shortly. I’m meeting up with the upper brass._

The end of the First World War. That also brought the Treaty of Peace, a series of reparations being issued towards the Germanic Empire. The Germanic Empire was crippled, and had no economy. In fact, they were going through a series of hyper inflation, as their money was worth close to nothing. The Germans had resorted to use it as fuel since logs costed more than money itself.

She sent a telepathic message to all the Captains to meet in the conference room. In Arcadia Squadron, Jessica had appointed three Head Captains instead of a Deputy Squadron Commander, an unusual feature in the Immortal hierarchy. Jessica assumed that only a small handful of Captains could be present at short notice. Some Captains held positions in public office, making it difficult to wander out of their jobs. She made her way to the second floor through the stairs. No need to use an elevator for a trip that was one floor down.

Waiting outside were two of Jessica’s Head Captains, Manfred Klinsmann, holding a beige overcoat. A blond, handsome man in his twenties, he was a protege of Tiffany Labelle. He wore a buttoned shirt, with grey slacks and black oxfords.

The other was Emilia Kim, the youngest Head Captain out of the three. She was in an olive drab Arcadian army formal uniform, minus a black beret. Over her military uniform was the identical overcoat that Manfred held, though hers was different, having five gold stars, representing a special rank in the Arcadia military.

“Head Captain Annika Steele sends her apologies,” said Emilia. “She’s currently busy with an interrogation on behalf of the Arcadian government.”

“No matter. Let’s take our seats and wait for the Captains to muster.”

In Arcadia Squadron, the experienced Captains were lumped into a collective group what was known as the Middle Guard. Immortals who had lived for several centuries and were veterans of the field. The Young Guard referred to younger Captains who were less than a century-old, and did not always have field experience under their belts. Though Jessica was the Squadron Commander, she was lumped as a part of the Young Guard, only being alive for fifty years.

Jessica opened the door of the conference room. A round table was used, to promote the idea that all Captains were equal. Present in the room were Arcadia alumni, now Distinguished Squadron Commanders - Tiffany Labelle and Klare Huang. They were part of the Old Guard - the oldest Immortals in existence, and the best of the best. Joining the alumni were the deputy and the commander herself - Alice Baldwin and Kendra Patterson. Bernice was present, huddled in a chair, a sleeve from her yukata missing. She gave one blank glance at Jessica and the two Head Captains, but returned her gaze to a corner in the room. Jessica found Bernice to be creepy.

Tiffany was writing some notes on the whiteboard, while conversing with Klare.

The first Captain to arrive was a old friend and classmate to Jessica - Naomi Ackerman. An Immortal of Chinese and Spanish descent, Jessica knew it was her, based on the fact that she loved the colour red. Her coat was red. Red was her bowler hat. The articles of clothing that were not red were her skirt, tights and shoes. She took the seat next to Jessica. Captains could sit wherever they wanted when it came to meetings.

“What’s with the meeting?” she whispered.

“The One World Order. They’re back, apparently. You remember them, from the First World War.”

Naomi shook her head. “I’m afraid not. I chose not to volunteer at first and when I was about to, I became pregnant with Elise and Cameron.”

Jessica groaned internally. It was hard to remember that Naomi was a mother considering her age.

More Captains were beginning to file in. Three in particular, all of them part of the Middle Guard. Joanna Dark was a pipe-smoking Immortal. She wore the standard issue Captain overcoat - white in colour, with the Arcadia Immortal Squadron patch on the shoulders. Following behind Joanna was Connor Clinton, a large Immortal in similar apparel, sporting the Captain overcoat, though his was more rugged.  The last was Maximilian Sanu, an Immortal who dabbled in the sciences. They made nods to Manfred and Emilia, whom the group got along well with.

“I apologize for the short notice for the meeting. I’ll get to the point. The One World Order has taken one of our key members in Jim,” said Kendra.

Raised eyebrows. All of the Captains remembered Jim, who was present when Arcadia Squadron had its Change of Command, from Klare Huang to Jessica Jia. They also recalled role the One World Order played in the Nabrit Restoration, which took place in 2014. Arcadia Squadron, with the last heiress of the Nabrit throne, worked together to put down the rebellious nobles whom proclaimed to be part of the One World Order.

“On behalf of Arcadia Squadron, we offer our condolences,” said Jessica. She barely knew Jim, but from what she remembered on that day, came off as a nice, relaxed person. Jim wasn’t not aloof like Bernice, or a workaholic, like Alice and Kendra.

Another trio of Captains filed in. They were collectively known as the Tiger Captains. Most of the Tiger Captains were Jessica and Naomi. Among one of the Tiger Captains was a youthful professor at the Arcadia Immortalis Academy, Chelsea Lee. She shared the same age with Emilia, though she only rose to prominence the last decade. The second Tiger Captain was another woman, Candace Joyce. A charming brunette,  with great hype behind her. 

Alessandro Mercer was the last of the trio, well groomed and had the Captain overcoat over his designer brand tuxedo.  Like Chelsea, Alessandro was heavily involved in public affairs, being a billionaire, and philanthropist.

“There is more news. The One World Order may have a lead on something that jeopardizes the future of Arcadia. They may know the whereabouts of the Holy Grail,” said Kendra. Ears perked up from the Captains of the room.

“The One World Order again? We’ve fought them off during the Nabrit Revolution and in the First World War,” said Emilia.

“I’ve heard too much about the Holy Grail in my travels,” said Manfred. “I assume we have to protect it or something.”

“Indeed. That’s why we have agreed on splitting up into groups to find the Grail. We have to find it before the One World Order does.”

“I thought Monica and Immanuel were supposed to be back by now,” said Alice, glancing at Bernice.

“I did tell Immanuel and Monica to hurry back, but _nooo_ , they had to get it on one more time,” said Bernice. “I’d think the two would work together.”

“Just let them stay put here in Arcadia. We can’t leave the homeland unguarded. Alice and I will be one team scouting the north,” said Kendra. “It is up to Commander Jia whether if she wants the groups to be bigger.”

Bernice spoke. “I work alone. Maybe I’ll take a Captain under my wing. Don’t count on it though..”

“I will allow expansion of the groups. No more than five Immortals in a group,” said Jessica. Feeling eyes now on her, she was about to issue further orders to only be interrupted by Kendra.

“If you bump into any of the One World Associates, do not take them on. Communication is key. Notify the Head Captains right away,” said the blonde Immortal. But the Immortals in the room were already formulating groups in their minds.

Tiffany and Manfred, the teacher-student duo instantly locked eyes and nodded. Alyssa appeared, teleporting into the room unannounced. Without missing a beat, she struck up a conversation with Naomi. Another team formed. The Tiger Captains looked to be split apart, though it was clear that they would stick together. Emilia had her own team with Joanna and Connor playing a part. Klare would most likely be working with Annika, another teacher-student duo. There were missing Captains in the room, but they would be poached off by the other Captains in Arcadia.  Jessica’s heart sank. No Captains had thought of including her in their groups.

“Commander Jia. You look troubled.”

Jessica jumped out of her seat, feeling embarrassed. She swore that Tiffany was just standing, talking with Manfred. Apparently not.

“I’m fine, Commander Labelle,” said Jessica. Distinguished Squadron COmmanders were still addressed Commanders.

“Call it a motherly instinct, Jessica. I apologize for not consulting you earlier, but but I never forget my students. You are more than welcome to accompany Manfred and I in the hunt for the Grail,” said Tiffany.

Jessica smiled. She did work as Tiffany’s Lieutenant during the Nabrit Restoration before being appointed a Captain herself.

“Manny did express concern as well. It wouldn’t be good if you were working alone, since you are not at Bernice’s level yet,” said Tiffany.

Manfred’s face turned red at the sound of the embarrassing nickname. He looked away, cheeks puffed slightly. “Now I wish I was working alone like Bernice.”

Tiffany chuckled, and gently ruffled both Manfred and Jessica’s hair. “Don’t you worry. We’ll find the Grail, take on the One World Order, and celebrate a victory.”

 

***

 

_November 5th, 6:00 PM. An abandoned building in Arcadia_

 

Head Captain Annika Steele tutted impatiently, tossing the blood-stained pliers away onto the cement ground. She was alone with the teenage Immortal spy Alyssa had brought in.

For a young girl, Annika was surprised how resilient she was. Breaking the nails did little to make the spy speak. Neither did stripping her down, and leaving her hanging by a tightly strung rope in the ceiling. She was at her end’s wits. The spy was tied to her chair, glancing out the blackened windows. Alyssa did warn her not to go too hard. After all, she was still young. Annika gritted her teeth. She did attempt to ply teeth out, but found it difficult, since it was hard to wield a pliers while keeping a

Annika glanced at her wristwatch. It had been at least two hours since the interrogation began. Almost time to move to another safe house. Just in case the spy’s associates had been trailing Alyssa, who arrived in a bike carrying an unconscious teenager.

Annika paused in midstep. Foreign _chi_ was closing in the building. At least one Immortal was placed outside. That meant no point escaping through the windows. Placing an ear on the floor, she heard the thundering of railings. She guessed three Immortals were going to attack her. Reaching to the back of her coat, she unsheathed her combat knife and crept towards the door, bracing for the enemy.

The teenage spy had the audacity to grin, despite losing a tooth.

“They’re here,” she said.

The door was kicked off its hinges. Annika spotted a blur moving towards her. Anticipating the attack, she stabbed where the attack was coming to only find air. Annika was tackled by a hooded Immortal, who slammed her to the wall. The intruder held Annika by the throat, attempting to strangle her. Flailing her legs, they hit nothing but air. Annika cursed at herself. If only she had longer legs.

A female Immortal, with a hooded cloak strutted in the room, her head upright. She was accompanied by another hooded Immortal, who was working to untie the spy. A simple hand chop had dissipated the materials that held the spy.

“You Arcadians are truly foolish. Allowing us to track one of our own in broad daylight too.”

“I’m afraid you are the foolish one, madam.” The hooded woman turned around, attempting to find the source of the cool female voice.

A tall Immortal of Chinese descent, dressed in a dark Victorian-styled outfit appeared. There was a blood stain plastered on the end of the coat. Her hair was done up in a loose braid tied behind her back. Annika sensed an abundance of _ki_ radiating from the woman. Golden _ki_ . She would easily outclass the intruders, who had gold _ki_ but in a lesser quality. Annika felt one source of _ki_ fading away outside. The towering Immortal was probably the one who had dispatched of the Immortal outside, hence her bloodstained cloak.

“Foolish? Go make quick work of her, Erik.”

The male Immortal made a wild leap towards the mystery Immortal.  Placing a hand on the hilt, she unsheathed her katana and struck down the male Immortal, whose body was separated from the waist down from the slash. Annika’s jaw dropped. In true iaijutsu fashion. The woman’s attack was strangely reminiscent of Monica’s fighting style. Graceful, and quick strikes.

The hooded Immortal tutted.  “I was not expecting opposition so _early_. Cosmos told me that you would not be here.”

A faint smile came from the surprise ally. “That’s too bad. Tell your leader if he values his life, to give up on the Holy Grail.”  
  
“That won’t happen. Xander won’t back down in his goal for the Holy Grail. Are you not going to finish us?”

The mystery ally sheathed her oddly-shaped katana. The bloodied blade resembled a cavalry sabre, yet it had a hilt of a katana.

“I cannot interfere too much. But I’d suggest you run, because that’s the smart thing to do,” said the mystery ally.

Another tut from the hooded Immortal. “Let’s get out of here. Xander has to hear of this.”

The three intruders left the room by teleportation, ignoring their fallen comrade. Annika fell onto the ground, breaking into a fit of coughing. A few more seconds would’ve meant unconsciousness. The mystery ally knelt beside Annika, slowly helping her up. Annika spotted two sheathed swords from the woman’s waist.Now Annika was curious. Who was this Immortal, with golden spiritual pressure and talking about the Holy Grail? She was certain the Grail was part fiction. But not according to the Immortals standing before her.

“Thank you...mystery woman. Who are you?”

A smile formed on the woman’s lips.

“The name is Rachel Zhao. You might know me as Challenger Squadron first Squadron Commander.”

Annika frowned. Rachel Zhao had been dead for almost a millenia. She didn’t get the memo about the name change as well.

“I know. There’s a lot going on right now, but you'll have to take my word for it.”

Rachel’s eyes flashed purple as she attempted to peer into the mind of the Immortal whom she had just decapitated from the waist down earlier. Annika raised her eyebrows. Rachel shook her head, pinching her lips. Prior to his death at the hands of Rachel, the Immortal was savvy enough to clear his mind to cut off any clues.

“Your name, Immortal?”

“Annika Steele. Head Captain of Arcadia Squadron,” said Annika. 

“Bring me to Monica Tokugawa. She and I go way back,” said Rachel. Blindly trust teleporting her and Rachel into the second floor of Challenger Building. It was likely that Monica would be at the meeting Jessica mentioned minutes ago. Rachel placed a handle on the door.

“You can’t just go uninterrup-” protested Annika.

Rachel ignored the Head Captain, openning the doors to the conference room. She smirked, seeing familiar faces in Kendra, Bernice, Tiffany, and Alyssa. Rachel felt all eyes in the room concentrate on her, but to the Immortal, it was like water off a duck’s back.

“You’re talking about the Holy Grail, without me?” She inquired. Many confused looks. Who was this towering woman? It didn’t help she radiated a vast amount of _ki_.

“Rachel Zhao. It’s been a long time,” said Kendra, breaking the silence in the room. Annika filed into the room  her head lowered. It caught the attention of

“The interrogations failed,” muttered Bernice.

“Unfortunately so, ma’am. It’s likely they’ve got a base of operations in Arcadia. The question is where,” said Annika.

In the meantime, Rachel took a vacant seat, and glared at all the Captains in the room. She scoffed. “Just what happened to Challenger Squadron? All these new faces...inexperienced ones at that.”

“Excuse me, but it is now called Arcadia Squadron. To signify our ties with the country whom we serve proudly” interjected Jessica. Rachel scoffed.

“Serve proudly? None of you can handle the One World Order,” boasted Rachel.

Some of the younger Captains took offense to Rachel’s words, with Candace being first to interject.

“Excuse you, random Immortal. I’ll gladly prove my worth in a spar.”

Rachel placed a hand on the hilt of her katanas. “Would you like to put your position to the test?”

The spar would never happen. A calm voice radiated the room. A familiar one, at that.

“I’ve been made aware of your revival thanks to an old friend, but I didn’t think you would grace our presence so early, Rachel Zhao.”

A well-dressed Monica Monica Tokugawa stepped into view, looking like a church lady. She had exquisite white garb covering over a white dress, and her black hair was tied up properly.

Rachel got up and unsheathed one of the two katanas, pointing it inches away from Monica’s neck. The Celestial Child kept a stoic expression. The Old Guard reacted, albeit in tardy fashion. Klare had her katana drawn out, inches away from slicing off Rachel’s neck. Alice and Bernice were poised to strike Rachel behind. Tiffany and Alyssa remained close by, with Tiffany’s hand hovering close to her sword.

“How long has it been, Rachel? Fifteen hundred years ago?” Inquired Monica 

“Don’t act so sincere towards me. Fifteen hundred years ago, you left me and Challenger Squadron to die in the Nabrit-Arcadia War,” growled Rachel.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unwelcome intrudes in the meeting, causing a potential schism. Also, Naomi attempts to convince David to go on the Holy Grail Hunt.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long hiatus - writers block got me. Also got distracted. It is summer time so expect more periodic updates :)

_November 5th 2039, 7:45 PM - Tokugawa Manor_

 

Monica raised her hands up. There was no need to expel Rachel’s backstory to the younger Captains in the room. Not yet. 

“It was a mistake of mine. I still live with the guilt. It’s something I’ve never let go,” said Monica. She stared Rachel directly in the eyes.

Kendra cleared her throat. She attempted to diffuse the situation. “I take fault as well, Rachel. We can settle our past feuds later. We have the Holy Grail to focus on, and you seem to know more than us. Care to share your information..”

Rachel sheathed her katana, and sat back down. She kept her gaze fixated at Monica, whom sat on the opposite end, close to Kendra and Alice.

“I do have information that will be of valuable use. Cosmos is heavily involved in the hunt as well. That’s how they know about the Grail to begin with,” said Rachel. “That should be the least of your worries though. A good majority of the One World Order boast golden spiritual pressure. No doubt Cosmos had a hand in that.”

Annika confirmed Rachel’s findings. “They just overpowered me. Engaging these people head-on is a deathwish without someone in the Distinguished Squadron Commander caliber. Rachel here saved me.”

“That’ll be noted. Groups going without a Distinguished Squadron Commanders are not to engage against any of the One World Order soldiers,” said Jessica. She paused. “We should assign you to a group.”

Rachel shook her head. “I’m restricted to be on the sidelines. That was the agreement the Supreme Goddess Frederika made me agree upon my revival. I have little free will. But I am more than happy to guide any of you pathetic Captains.” A cross look from Monica.

“Rachel. Don’t,” said Monica. Rachel pouted to the Celestial Child.

“Please excuse her behaviour. Rachel is normally more...well behaved, being a former Commander,” said Monica. The words did little to erase the doubt present in the room.

“I don’t trust her,” said Emilia. “She may have saved Head Captain Steele, but I find it hard to believe she’s here to help us.”

“To play devil’s advocate, you were godstucken by Frederika herself, Emilia. The Gods do work in weird ways,” said Naomi. “Maybe we could give her another test to prove her loyalty to us Arcadians.”

“What would you like me to do?” inquired Rachel.

“Hunt down the One World Order and show us the Holy Grail,” jeered Connor.

“We’d be wasting time trying to argue that Rachel’s loyalties lie elsewhere. She’ll prove her worth. Right?” Said Bernice. Rachel nodded.

“We will depart in 48 hours time. Do whatever you need before hand. We will regroup here and split off into our groups. Dismissed,” said Kendra. All of the Captains in the room left, except the Old Guard, Rachel and Jessica. Prior to the dismissal, some of the younger Captains had begun to grumble.

“You’ve made a great impression on the Captains,” said Jessica. “Now they’ll probably challenge you the moment you step out of his room.”

Rachel’s eye gleamed. “I’ll go easy. You are current commander, correct?”

Jessica nodded. She frowned as Rachel scrutinized her features.

“A bit young. But I digress. You’ll have to explain to me the lower standards among the Captains,” said Rachel coldly. 

“The Captains I’ve chosen are capable Immortals,” said Jessica. Rachel chuckled, casting an arm across the room.

“All of those Captains who left, including the Godstruck one, would not be Captains if I were in charge. I had three Captains at most,” said Rachel.

“Rachel, let it go. You’re not going to get your position back,” said Kendra. “Plus, it’s difficult to compare eras. Give the young Captains some time. Not everyone is so fortunate to be tutored by Monica.”

Rachel sighed. “Fair enough. Still bothers me that there are so many... _incompetent_ Captains..”

Jessica stood up, and faced Rachel head on, ignoring the fact that Rachel stood several inches above her. 

“I don’t appreciate you trying to backseat command me. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll try to calm my Captains, whom _you’ve_ upset.”

Jessica huffed, and left, slamming he door behind her. Rachel shook her head.

“Young. Untamed. She’s not fit to be a Commander,” muttered Rachel. She cast a glance at the Old Guard members. “All of you can’t be taking her side.”

“You’re too harsh, Rachel. Kendra’s right. She may be young, but we aren’t going to rule forever,” said Monica.

“Where’s Immanuel? I thought you two were coming back together,” said Klare.   
  
“Running an errand for me. You can thank Bernice for ripping one of my handicrafts,” said Monica, glaring at Bernice who looked away, lips pursued. She stripped down and handed Monica her yukata, still wearing a thin white robe underneath. A few minutes later, Immanuel poked his head, holding some sewing materials and fibers on his hands.

“Always ripping things,” muttered Imanuel. He handed Monica the materials.

Bernice furrowed your eyebrows. “Watch your words.” Immanuel shrugged. He raised an eyebrow upon seeing Rachel.

“You must be my predecessor. It’s a honour to meet a legend,” said Immanuel. Rachel chuckled.

“You’re flattering me. It’s a relief to see that Arcadia has kept a high standard in the upper echelons,” said Rachel. “Where’s the lecherous bastard Nick?”

“Dead. He won’t be bugging you,” said Monica. “Only Bernice and Kendra remain left out of the Original Five. Kyo and Jim are dead as well.”

Rachel chuckled, and shook her head. “You look pretty hideous in that outfit, Monica,” commented Rachel. She rose from her seat and was quick to teleport beside Monica, closely examining the fabric. Looked a mix of cotton, wool, and polyester. Some mystery fabric, she guessed.

Monica chuckled. Taking the kit and the mysterious fabric from Immanuel, she began to work on repairing the missing sleeve from Bernice’s yukata. In a matter of seconds, the mysterious fabric was resewn, and the yukata looked good as new. Without thanking Monica, Bernice snatched it and dressed herself, heaving a sigh of relief. She gave a thumbs up to Monica, to signal her thanks.

“I don’t think you’re in a position to comment. You did say that trousers were much better than skirts,” said Monica.

Rachel raised her skirt slightly, revealing black tights underneath. She shrugged. “Not my fault Adonis is of the opinion that women should solely stick to skirts. Short ones, at that. At least it’s made of fibers that will protect me from _ki_. ”

Rachel was referring to one of the Supreme Gods, Adonis whom oversaw the arts. One of Adonis’ interests was weaving clothing, being related in the arts.  

“Adonis as a skirt chaser. He hasn’t changed one bit,” muttered Monica.

Rachel shrugged. “I do like his taste in fashion.  I can see that some of your outfits have been inspired by him. He did present me a robe like yours. It looked restricting, so I refused.”

“You were Godstrucken by Frederika as well. You didn’t disclose that,” said Bernice.

“There wasn’t a need to,” said Rachel. She turned to Tiffany and Alyssa. “Glad to see some familiar faces. You two have aged well.”

Alyssa lit up one of her cigarettes, ignoring the death glare she got from Monica. “Thanks. Cigarettes keep me young.”

“And the rest?”

“Dead, or left Challenger. The majority of Immortals don’t quite respect you. I’m...ambivalent to you revival so say the least,” admitted Tiffany.

“Everyone’s against me,” groaned Rachel. 

“Not against you. Just...uneasy,” corrected Alice. Rachel narrowed her eyes, but said nothing. Clearly, words were not going to change the opinion against her.

Bernice raised a hand. “State of the Union. President wants the Immortals to be there. I was about to tell Jessica, but she ran off. It’s in three day’s time.” She looked at Immanuel and Monica. “Could you two fill her spot?”

“We’re not going,” grumbled Immanuel. “Just to hear the President ramble on about her plans? No thanks.”

“We’ll go in Jessica’s place. Save herself the anxiety,” interjected Monica.  “Since we're’ not looking for the Grail, we might as well be productive in an another aspect.”

“I’ll touch base with Michael and the rest of the Consul to get supplies.  It might be worthwhile to touch base with the Nabrits,” muttered Kendra.

Rachel raised an eyebrow. “The Nabrits? Enemy, now ally?”

“We are. Since the Nabrit Restoration. They are a good friend of ours. They may know something we don’t,” said Alice. “I’ll see you all later.”

Kendra and Alice teleported out, leaving Bernice, Rachel, Monica, Immanuel, Tiffany and Alyssa in the room.  Looking at the remaining Immortals in the room, Monica offered her invitation to some tea.

“Care to join me for evening tea?”

Bernice shook her head. So did Alyssa and Tiffany.

“No thanks. Never liked tea,” said Bernice. She teleported out without a proper goodbye.

“Tiffany and I are going to make our preparations for the trip. Until then.”

Tiffany and Alyssa waved, and teleported out.

“That just leaves us three. Immanuel, you don’t have a problem with having tea so late?”

Immanuel shook his head. With the conference room itself was a mini kitchen. It had appliances and its pantries were well stocked with snacks.

“I need some coffee. Taking out those minions left me drained,” complained Rachel. She looked to Monica. “Could you brew some for me, teacher?”

“Nice try. You’re a grown woman. Go brew it yourself,” said Monica.

“And how am I supposed to do that?” said Rachel blankly.

Immanuel pointed the sleek silver device close by. The lone person that drank coffee regularly among the Old Guard was Tiffany, and Immanuel on a rare basis. Maybe Klare. But caffeine had little effect on Immortals.

“Yeah, but how does it work? I’ve been dead for over a thousand years. I don’t understand technology,” said Rachel.

Immanuel sighed. It was difficult enough to figure it out for Tiffany when she was revived. Pressing a couple of buttons and adding some coffee beans from a pack of coffee beans nearby, he did a wave. The machine whirred and clicked, as a dark liquid began to pour into the glass container.

“Magic. Technology is wonderful,” said Immanuel dryly.  

Rachel furrowed her eyebrows. She took a deep sniff, and ran her fingers through the coffee beans, shaking her head. Rachel glared at Monica.

“You call this real coffee?”

Monica sighed. “Don’t blame me. We rarely drink coffee here. We’ll accompany you tomorrow to find some in the city.”

“We?”

Monica removed one of her gloves, revealing her wedding ring to Rachel. She got on her toes, and gave a surprise kiss on Immanuel’s cheek. Surprised, Immanuel’s face turned red. Rachel dropped her jaw. Immanuel didn’t strike out to be someone Monica would fall in love with. He was good-looking, she had to admit.

“I’m married to Immanuel here. It’s our twenty-fifth year together. That’s why I was late. Our anniversary was interrupted,” said Monica, smiling, though her face grew serious shortly after.  

“But to see an old face, I don’t mind. I’m glad you are alive again. I still regret not being able to save you all those years and it’s bothered me to this date. Will you forgive me?”

Rachel let out a sigh. Monica was always a wizard with words. Yet she had a point. Holding a grudge against her was pointless.

“Apology accepted,” said Rachel gruffly.

Monica smirked. “Rachel, Still think you can best me in a spar?

Rachel chortled. “Bring it on, you hag.”

***

 

Naomi Rosales decided to make the trip home. Probably the first time home in the last three days. Not that Dietrich cared. But Elise and Cameron would. It was a a bit late - Jessica had instructed the Captains to not engage Rachel Zhao, at all costs. Not that Naomi would’ve fought her. Rachel was godstrucken, reeking of gold _ki_.

Turning the lock of the door, the house was a lot cleaner than she had expected. Dietrich rarely made the time to clean the dishes or throw out the garbage. Cameron or Elise would do it on a rare basis. Elise came out of nowhere to give her mother a big hug.

“Mom! Uncle D’s here,” said Elise. Looking up, David Martins appeared, with Cameron close to him.

“David.”

“Naomi.”

Despite the age gap, the David and Naomi had been good friends in their time in university by proxy of Dietrich.

“Beautiful as always, Naomi,” said David.

“Thanks. Don’t be a stranger, David. I’ll fix up something. Tea? Coffee?” asked Naomi. David shook his head, and sat down on one of my many chairs in the dining room. The blond Immortal looked down on himself. Twenty years later, after the funeral of his wife, Zoë. little has changed in David’s body language. She poured a cup of milk for herself. 

“You’ve heard of Rachel Zhao? Just asking, cause your speciality has always been history and Immortals.”

David paused, and shrugged. “All I remember from my studies is that she died a long time ago. Nothing too spectacular from her, aside from the fact she loved to fight.”

“She’s actually back. Pissed off a lot of my colleagues.” A raised eyebrow from David, but he said nothing. The old David she knew would love to meet the old Immortals. They were already fortunate enough to have Tiffany Labelle of the Old Guard to serve as one of their professors.

“Mom can beat her, right?” Asked Elise, butting her head in between Naomi and David. Naomi played with Elise’s red hair, laughing.. Elise was always full of energy. The more lively twin compared to Cameron.

“Mom’s not _that_ strong, Elise,” chimed in Cameron.

“What about Uncle D? He’s strong, isn’t he?” said Elise, turning to face David.

David put on a smile, and raised his right hand. He summoned some ice shards, which turned into dust a few seconds later, leaving no trace of water behind.

“I’m a bit rusty, kids. Your mother is one of the strongest Immortals I know. Her heroic efforts in the First World War saved us many times.”

Elise and Cameron raised an eyebrow. Elise tugged the coat of Naomi. “Mom, tell us the story! Cam and I want to know!”

“That’s a story for another time,” said Naomi quickly. “Study time for you. David

With the kids gone, Naomi shut the door behind her to prevent any eavesdropping. The children didn’t need to hear about work and politics.

“You’ve been seeing Curtis about your mental state,” said Naomi. David nodded. Curtis Freud was a prominent psychologist, who was part of the same graduating class with David. 

“Yes. Naomi, you should be at home more. The kids always ask when you or Dietrich are coming home,” said David.

“It’s hard being a Captain, David. I have to train, and not to mention supervise young Immortals and their training on top of that..”

“Doesn’t sound hard at all,” said David dryly.

Naomi sighed. “You know Jessica Jia. She wanted me to be a Captain the moment she became Commander. Just as I gave birth to Elise and Cameron too. Couldn’t say no.”

David shook his head. “All I hear are excuses from you, Naomi.”

Naomi scoffed. “Don’t tell me how to raise my kids. You ”

David flinched. Almost at the verge of tears, Naomi apologized, her head down.

“Sorry. It’s been stressful at work. A lot of things happening the last couple of days.”

Understandable. Dietrich is no better. He just put me off the other day. I haven’t seen him since.”

“That’s Dietrich for you,” muttered Naomi. “I’ll talk to him about it.”

Silence between the two. Seeing David so crestfallen, Naomi had an idea to cheer his spirits up.

“David, would you be interested in tagging along with Commander Gomez and I for a cross-country trip?” asked Naomi. Distinguished Squadron Commanders could be referred to as Commanders, though sometimes it caused confusion. Especially the fact that Alyssa never held the title of Squadron Commander.

David raised an eyebrow. “Cross-country? There’s got to be an ulterior motive behind this.”

Naomi nodded. “That’s why I shooed the kids away. It’s about the Holy Grail. Apparently the One World Order we faced in the Nabrit Restoration and the First World War? They’re back.”

It didn’t take long for David to respond. “No way. The Holy Grail and the One World Order all interconnected? Seems a bit far fetched.”

Naomi shrugged. “The Old Guard seems to think so. A member of theirs perished. Even Bernice confirmed it.”

David waved off Naomi’s words. “Not interested. Arcadia Squadron can solve its own problems.”

“Surely it crossed your mind that you’d want to travel again. For old time’s sake.”

David said nothing, but Naomi had read him like a book. “Even if I do go, what about the kids? They won’t have Uncle David here to take care of them.”

“I have my ways with Dietrich,” said Naomi, smirking. “Worse case scenario is that I beg Monica to take care of the twins, considering she’s staying put here in Arcadia.”

David rubbed his temples, staring out at the window, though it was dark outside.

“I’ll tag along. The trip won’t take long, will it?”

Naomi shook her head. “We can cover a lot of ground, being Immortals. I think we’re heading westbound.”  
  
“Any idea what the Grail looks like? Don’t recall any books I’ve read detailing the physical descriptions of the Grail.”

Naomi shrugged. “None of us have a clue. Can’t be difficult to miss. I’ll reach you through telepathy when we’re leaving. Pack some essentials.”

Sensing the conversation coming to a close, David stood up, yawning. “If that’s everything, I’ll be going now.”

“You should stay the night. Help the kids study, considering that you might be gone for some time.”

A smile appeared on David’s lips, though it faded quickly. “That’s a good idea.”

  
Shutting the door behind him Naomi took a deep breath. Now she had the task on creating a believable story that Dietrich, Cameron and Elise could believe that she was going away once more. The harder part was Dietrich. After all, it looked if she was running away with David and leaving the kids to him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a long chapter for to compensate unexpected absence. Writer's block and video games happened. 
> 
> It's a bit NSFW, and contains sibling incest.

_November 6th, 2039, a well-off modest house in Arcadia._

Melanie Tokugawa snuggled close to her lover, burying her face into the muscular back of her lover. He stirred slightly, but didn’t react instantly from Melanie’s gestures.

It didn’t bother her that her lover was her younger twin brother, Ezekiel Tokugawa. In fact, that was the main reason they had moved out of their mother’s elegant house. Using some of her father’s funds, the two bought a house within the urban parts of Arcadia. The moment the two moved out, it was one of the first actions from Melanie to simply snuggle up in bed and to copulate without the interference from their parents.  

Melanie wanted to stay in bed with Ezekiel a little bit longer, but a doorbell meant that they had a visitor. Perhaps another client for their odd jobs enterprise which was started up two weeks ago. Only few clients had approached the supernatural duo, and their jobs were so miniscule even the Arcadia Police Department could solve them. One job involved saving a stray dog. Their most recent job involved dealing with a break up. Not exactly a dream start.

Dragging herself out of the bed, Ezekiel groaned when he no longer felt Melanie’s body heat pressed against his back.

“Don’t get the door. Just stay in the bed with me,” he groaned. Melanie sighed unhappily, trying to fix her black hair. It was usually soft and silky, but being in bed for half of the day had made it look like a trainwreck. The consolation prize was that her hair was short, a departure from her mother’s looks.

“You look fine the way you are, Mel,” piped Ezekiel. Melanie turned her head away, huffing. Ezekiel was always the one to throw compliments, about looks. It was unfair. Because Ezekiel was everything a woman could dream for. Good-looking, and he was built like a god. Melanie was sure the feeling was mutual. Ezekiel had a fondness for fit women.

Not bothering to slip on any real clothes, Melanie grabbed one of Ezekiel’s hoodys lying on the ground. At least it was big enough to cover her body. She opened the door slightly, peeking through a small crack.

“Hello?”

“ _Bonjour_ , Melanie. It’s been a while.”

Tiffany Labelle stood in front of the door, with a playful smirk plastered on her face. She wore a long white, elegant dress that covered most of her body, and had a large hat with flowers ontop. She removed her hat, exposing her lovely tied up blonde hair.

“It’s been a while, Miss Labelle. Please, come in.”

Tiffany strode in, carrying a large piece of baggage with her. A serene smile still plastered on her face, she studied every bit of detail within the house.

“It’s only been three weeks since you two moved out,” said Tiffany. Glancing at Melanie’s poor choice of wear, Tiffany winked.

“So is that _all_ you two do all day?”

Melanie looked away, pursuing her lips. A brief silence before she spoke again, though quietly. “It’s not like I’ll get pregnant or anything. Plus, my mother isn’t here to bother me how it’s wrong to be sleeping with my brother.”

Tiffany said nothing, and proceeded to sit down on one of the many pieces of furniture in the living room. Melanie sat across from her.

“I assume you, like your mother, have difficulty bearing children. Because I assume the amount of time you spend with Ezekiel together...”

Melanie’s face turned red from Tiffany’s words. She raised the oversized hoodie to cover her mouth.“Miss Labelle, please. I do not feel comfortable discussing such matters, though I applaud your candour.”

Tiffany raised her eyebrow slightly. “That confirms my suspicion.”

Taking off her hat, Tiffany began to redo her blonde hair, which was done up into a tight crown braid.

“Why are you here, Miss Labelle? To babysit us?” inquired Melanie.  Tiffany spoke as she fixed her hair.

“I’m not here to babysit you.I simply wanted to check up on you two.”  
  
“Did my dad-”   
  
“Your dad and I are close, but I chose to do this out of my own will. Because that’s what platonic friends do. Look after each other’s back.” said Tiffany quickly. Before Melanie could interject, Tiffany cleared her throat. “I assume you two have not been slacking in your studies.”

Melanie shook her head. “Miss Labelle, I train whenever I have free time. Ezekiel on the other hand...”

There was a booming voice from upstairs. “MEL, SHUT UP. YOU’RE NOT FOOLING ANYONE.” Melanie’s eyes shifted, as she pulled her legs close to her body.

Tiffany giggled. She placed her hat back on, adjusting so it would fit snugly on her head, though it looked as if though the hat could devour her head. Perhaps Monica could adjust it.

“There’s nothing wrong with your romantic relationship with your brother. Some might find it unusual...but rest assured, I support you two. I brought some treats with me. Fresh from the local bakery.”

A wide assortment of sweets, from donuts, to cakes and chocolate were packed into the bag that Tiffany brought in. Melanie licked her lips and took a chocolate chip cookie, nibbling. It was a match made in heaven.

Taking both Melanie and Tiffany by surprise, Ezekiel teleported downstairs, shirtless, though he had the decency to put on pajama bottoms. It wasn’t an indecency for Ezekiel to be shirtless, due to his impressive physique.

“Did someone just say sweets?” said Ezekiel. He glanced over to see his older sister hunched over on a cookie. He ruffled Melanie’s hair, and placed a kiss on her forehead.

Tiffany smiled. “You two are adorable. Young love.”

“When are you going to get married, Ms. Labelle? Surely you have a fair share of admirers, and it is a trend to marry young amongst Immortals now,” asked Ezekiel.  

Tiffany chuckled. It was true that  “None of them are my type.” A white lie would do. Seeing the perkiness of the twins, there was no need to disclose her personal history to the twins. It was a dark tale for another day.

The Immortal stood up, tipping her hat slightly. “I must take my absence. As you know, duties for me are different as a Distinguished Squadron Commander.”

There was a lot to do. Secure funds for the trip, and the supplies. The twins didn’t need to know about Rachel’s presence, or the One World Order. Not yet. It was up to Immanuel or Monica to spill the beans.

“Thanks for the sweets, Auntie Labelle!” said Ezekiel, as he nibbled through a cupcake. 

Tiffany excused herself, slipping out of the doors. As she went eastbound, she spotted a young, attractive blonde Asian woman approaching the house. She looked vaguely familiar to Tiffany. The name clicked once Tiffany went to an alleyway, as she teleported to the Tokugawa manor.

Jennifer Shin. One of the Seven Tiger Captains of Arcadia Squadron. She was missing from the meeting, but her legacy was already felt among the Old Guard. Aside from being appointed as a Captain at the ripe age of 18, she had an illustrious modelling career, appearing in Vogue.

Demure but deadly, Tiffany was present in Jennifer’s promotion. She thrashed Connor, and Manfred in a spar that lasted less than five minutes. She instantly garnered the attention of  Jessica and was given Captain status instantly. An unusual decision, but Tiffany decided not to override the decision. After all, Arcadia Squadron was Jessica’s squadron to run, not hers.

 

***

The doorbell rung again, to the dismay of the Huang twins. Melanie was already halfway up the stairs, wanting to change into some actual clothing, while Ezekiel was stuffing himself, now onto his third slice of  chocolate cake. The extra calories would be useful in an extended gym session.

“Ezekiel! You get it. I rather not show myself half-naked to an actual client!” said Melanie, from the bedroom.

There was a groan coming out from the kitchen. “But you look just fine without clothes,” replied Ezekiel. He could easily picture a naked Melanie fuming in red, but stowed the thought away.

Putting down his plate of cake, he went to get the door without complaint, ignoring the fact he was shirtless and opened the door full swing, exposing his bare chest. Ezekiel’s eyes widened upon the realization of who was standing in front of him.

Jennifer Shin. An young, beautiful Asian woman with blonde hair, with a slim build. She stood an inch taller than Ezekiel, but the gap was minimal. She had a white coat covering most of her body, with black tights and boots underneath.

Ezekiel recalled her being on the cover of several modelling magazines owned by both himself and Melanie. Outside of her modelling career, she was best known on being appointed an Immortal Captain with Arcadia Squadron, breaking Emilia’ Kim’s previous record. Slightly embarrassed, Ezekiel scratched the back of his head.

“Well...what brings you here?”

Expecting Jennifer to snicker, she smiled. “I didn’t expect the son of the late Monica Tokugawa so be so....pretty.” She began to walk around him, observing his impressive physical features. Ezekiel backed off, but Jennifer continued to press on.

“Captain Shin. Get your _filthy_ hands off my brother.”

Jennifer took three steps back, holding her hands up. She observed Melanie, who placed a protective arm around Ezekiel's shoulders. 

“You must be Melanie. You do take a lot from Monica in looks, though you do inherit Immanuel’s height," she mused. Melanie shifted eyes. "Come in." The three Immortals took seats in the same couch where Tiffany had visited prior. 

“I'll get straight to the point. I would like you two to accompany Captain Sanu and I on the hunt for the Holy Grail. I was missing during the meeting, so I needed a group. Thought you two would would like to join me," said Jennifer. 

Melanie and Ezekiel looked at each other. Holy Grail? Monica had mentioned it once, maybe twice keeping it vague. Not to mention she mentioned it when they were kids. 

“Come now, don’t act dumb. Your parents are part of the Old Guard, no?” Ezekiel’s eyes drifted to

Melanie spoke on the behalf of Ezekiel. She dug her elbow gently into Ezekiel, see“Our relationship with our parents is a bit strained, to say the least. Come on in, I suppose.”

Jennifer giggled. The incestous relationship of the Tokugawa twins made hot gossip among the Acadian Captains. “Silly me. Your parents and the inner circle briefed us about finding the Holy Grail.”

“We’re not part of Arcadia Squadron,” said Melanie. “Not interested in your quest.”

“Commander Patterson didn’t specify who or who couldn't be included,” countered Jennifer.

“Patterson?” inquired Ezekiel.

“Guess she’s talking about Kendra, Zeke,” said Melanie.

“I thought you two would be great additions. Isn’t your mother some powerful mystic, being an angel of some sort?” said Jennifer.

“Yes. A Celestial Child to be exact,” corrected Ezekiel, his voice trailing off. He found it difficult not to look at Jennifer. At least Melanie was there to keep focus. She tightened her grip around his shoulder.

“What’s it in for us?” inquired Melanie. An attempt to read Jennifer’s mind was useless. She was good at mind-blocking. Just like Bernice.

Jennifer pursued her lips, for a second, then formed a devious smirk. “I would say money, but honour and prestige. You two want to please your mother, as you’ve fallen out of favour with your taboo relationship. Even if we don’t find the grail, your parents will appreciate you being active in the Immortal scene.”

Damn. The twins looked at each other in embarrassment. Jennifer had done her homework alright.

“We’ll consider it. Give us some time,” said Ezekiel. 

Jennifer smiled. “You don’t have much time. We leave tomorrow morning. If you are interested, here’s my contact details.”

She fished in her purse and pulled a business card, handing it to Ezekiel. She winked at Ezekiel before leaving the house. Glancing down, Ezekiel noted the card he was handed was a phone number, most likely leading to Jennifer’s cellphone. Melanie snatched the card out of Ezekiel, shaking her head.

“We’re not doing this, Ezekiel.”

“Jennifer has a point. If we do find the Holy Grail, we’ll gain _massive_ favour points with Mom again,” said Ezekiel.

“That’s the thing, Zeke. It’s a big _if_ we find the Grail to begin with. It’s a high risk, high reward situation,” said Melanie.

Ezekiel puffed up his chest and raised his head. Mock bravado. “That’s a risk I’m willing to take. It’s not like our business has been interesting as of late.” Melanie sat down on one of the couches, gently biting on her thumbnail. She had to weigh the pros and cons before coming to a decision. Not much time to make one to begin with. Ezekiel’s points were all valid.

Melanie was bothered that Ezekiel was wooed by Jennifer’s little charade. Jennifer was good looking, but to think Ezekiel that preferred blondes was a repulsing thought. What bothered her more was the fact they’d lose quality ‘bonding time’ during the trip. Sensing his sister’s worry, Ezekiel knelt down in front of Melanie and cupped her hands together, their faces inches apart.

“Don’t you worry about that Captain, Melanie. My childhood promise to marry you still stands. I wouldn’t cheat on any other girl,” whispered Ezekiel. Melanie raised an eyebrow.

“Are you sure about that? You looked pretty smitten with Jennifer,” said Melanie, pouting.

Ezekiel stared Melanie in the eyes. “I won’t let it happen again. She’s pretty, but you are the most beautiful woman I know. ”

Always the smooth talker, that Ezekiel. Melanie let out a sigh of defeat. “Fine. We join Captain Shin for the search of the Grail. But under one condition.”

Ezekiel gulped. Some of Melanie’s requests ranged from simple tasks such as making her breakfast in bed, to some risque demands that were done during their ‘bonding time’.

Sensing the anxiety of Ezekiel, Melanie chuckled, a smirk plastered on her face. “You won’t know the condition until we get back.”

 

***

_November 6th, 7PM, in the Tokugawa Estate_

 

Video calling was a common way of communicating in 21st century amongst humans.. It was in use among the denizens across the globe, but the Immortals of Arcadia liked telepathy - it was no hassle, and difficult to trace. Technology was a weak suit for the Old and Middle Guard Immortals.

The occasion was different - the Nabrits hated to use telepathy, because messages had become distorted or in some cases, lost when travelling across the vast Sebastian Sea. They liked to use video-calling to communicate, despite the dangers of hackers eavesdropping. Very 21st century.

That’s where the Immortal Consul filled in. They were the tech-savvy Immortals, who dedicated their lives to research in the sciences. One of the lead scientists, Roswell Keiran had his work cut out to ensure that the call was private. He was furiously typing several lines of code in attempts to make the line secure as possible.

The video call took place amongst the Old Guard Members, with Jessica included amongst the group. They filed in the dim room, illuminated by a single lightbulb, where the video call would take place.

“Are we ready?” asked Michael Hart, the white-haired leader of the Immortal Counsul. Roswell, his eyes glued to the screen, gave a thumbs up.   
  
He typed in several letters, and the screen flashed brightly, blinding everyone in the room momentarily.

Once everyone’s eyesight returned, a scruffy man with brown hair and a rugged-looking beard appeared on the screen. He looked comfortable, sitting down in a grand chair. The room was well-decorated, and lit, compared to the dark and musty room the Arcadian Immortals were hoarded into.

“Arcadians. It has been...a long time. Lady Kendra, I hope you and your associates are well,” said the man.

Kendra did a bow, as a curtsy seemed inappropriate in a tuxedo.

“You too, Lord Price.”

Edward smiled, rocking in his chair slightly. “Please. I told you that Edward is fine.”

“I can see Edward still fancies Kendra,” whispered Immanuel. He received a glare from Monica.

“Still a bit unfamiliar with the video-calling business?” said Edward. 

“I suppose so, Lord Price. We Arcadians don’t have much use for technology like computers, but Kendra insisted we teach ourselves how to use it,” said Michael. He grimaced as an electrical spark flew out, almost jolting Roswell. Not that it would kill him.  “How is  Queen Meleah and the consort, King Shinichi?”

“They are fine. It’s not easy to run a country and to raise an Immortal child. Much of the day to day duties lie on the nobles.”

“I’ll get to the point immediately.  We need to know about the activity levels about the One World Order across the seas. I’m sure you remember them for their involvement behind the Nabrit Revolution,” said Kendra. 

Edward rubbed his beard, groaning. “It’s a good thing you called, Arcadians. They’ve been active as of late. We’ve got bad news brewing in our end too. They may be the ones behind the funding of the Germanic Empire and its military. ”

“I knew the Treaty of Peace was a bad idea. There’s going to be an imminent two front war we have to manage,” said Jessica. The Treaty of Peace was signed in 2019, a year after the First World War.

Edward scoffed. “That’s because the amateurs at the delegates refused to listen to us experienced Immortals. But they were so hell bent on crippling the Germanic Empire.”

With the First World War over, the Nabrits along with the Fercans pushed for reparations on the Germanic Empire who had orchestrated the First World War. The Fercans were able to get what they wanted, to the dismay of the Arcadian and Nabrit Immortals.

“Any competent man could see that these consequences,” muttered Jessica. “Are the One World Order active in the Empire?”

“Several nobles are leading the hunt, actually. They are extremely resilient. The interrogations have yielded some interesting information, Arcadians. They’ve been sending operatives Lots of towards your Capital. Exercise caution, Arcadians.”

Edward scanned the Immortals across the room, recognizing that most of them had played an enormous role in the Restoration of the Nakamoto royalty to the Nabrit throne. It did not take long for Edward to find the sullen Rachel, trying her best to remain hidden. Rachel and Edward locked eyes, both of the Immortals frowning.

“You. I am surprised the Gods have given you a chance to live,” sneered Edward.

Rachel scoffed. “The Immortals are a race meant to fight. I maintain that the Arcadia Empire’s reason to fight against the Nabrits was justified.”

“Arcadia should’ve fallen with your blunder,” growled Edward.

Monica sighed. “Quit it, you two. It was a mistake on both sides. There’s no point crying over spilled milk.”

Ignoring Monica, Edward pressed on. “Zhao, you drove your own comrades away. Your legacy has been tainted.”

Rachel raised one of her eyebrows. “I’m a changed woman, Edward. It’s a thing of the past. If you and I were to square off, I’d emerge victorious. That fact hasn’t changed.” She stared at the screen, a smirk plastered on her lips.

Edward chuckled. “Confident as ever, Rachel. But I doubt you would walk the talk, because you’re cowering behind the Arcadians.”

Kendra cleared her throat. “What's the likelyhood you could send some Immortals to assist us?”

Edward’s face grew serious.  “It’s unlikely.  We’re stretched on numbers here. We have some sting operations here and there. But the One World Order remain numerous and strong.”

“That’s fine. We Arcadians should be able to manage this problem ourselves. We send our regards to the Queen and the Consort. Until then, Lord Price,” said Kendra. She bowed again, as Edward waved.

Kendra nodded to Michael, who then gave the go-ahead to Roswell to kill the transmission.

The screen flickered for a bit, before shutting off completely. 

Kendra turned to Jessica. “Looks like we’ll be own our own. The Consul can reimburse, though I ask to remind your Captains to spend it wisely. This is Arcadian taxpayer money.”

Being a separate branch of the Arcadian Military, Arcadia Squadron did get a portion of the Arcadian Defense budget. The last several years during peacetime had resulted in unspent hundreds of million dollars to the dismay of taxpayers across Arcadia.

Jessica rolled her eyes. There had been some growing discontent towards Immortals amongst public opinion due to the peacetime.  “We’ve got almost a billion dollars to spend on at last. They’ll complain regardless.”

“Don’t think the Distinguished Squadron Commanders  need the money. I certainly won’t,” said Kendra. “In wake of the news Lord Price gave us, we’ll have to curb our search radius. We cannot jeopardize the lives of Arcadians in search of the Grail.”

Alice raised a hand. “If you don’t mind wandering alone Kendra, I’ll stick close by Arcadia.”

“I’ll be fine alone. Anyone have something to chime in?” asked Kendra, scanning across the room. Immanuel and Monica remained silent.

“Communications wise, I know most of your Captains aren’t proficient in telepathy. To counter the shortcoming, I’ll keep a specific AM radio wave open. I’ll pass the complete details tomorrow.”

“That’s too risky. We might expose communications to civilians, or operatives from the One World Order,” said Bernice. “Is your Amplifier Project not ready?”

Michael shook his head. “Give me a couple more months to fine tune some things.”

“I’d suggest one thing, Jessica,” said Alyssa, lighting up a cigarette with a snap of her fingertips, ignoring the glare from Michael, who gestured towards the computer. “Keep a group of Captains close by Arcadia. Preferably the ones with the least amount of combat experience.”

Jessica narrowed her eyes. Alyssa never had any reservations when it came to statements on how to run the squadron, compared to Tiffany. At least the suggestion was a solid idea, unlike the other times she had criticized Squadron policy.

“Yes. I’ll keep that in mind tomorrow morning,” muttered Jessica Sensing that the meeting was done, she thanked the Distinguished Squadron Commanders and the Consul before leaving the dim room, heaving a big sigh.

In a state of alert, being a Squadron Commander was hard. How could someone stay sane while keeping the position?

***

Edward sunk back to his chair, sighing. He didn’t like to deny aid to the Arcadians, whom he owed a large favour for their role in the Nabrit Revolution, but he had his reasons. The numbers weren’t stretched, but there was lingering animosity towards Arcadians, who were treated like pop stars when given their noble titles. But there was one noble that could lend a hand. 

The Poet Laureate was always absent without notice. Often vacationing in the countrysides. Or travelling. Edward had insisted to Queen Meleah to remove her from power, but the Poet Laureate had a way with words. Meleah was probably a secret admirer of her.

  
Edward slipped a handwritten note underneath the closed doors of the Poet Laureate's study. It was up to her if she wanted to help, considering she did once serve as a Captain of Arcadia Squadron when Rachel was in command.


End file.
